Lucky Strike

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January 2017

Gary struck the match away from his body, hoping this one would light. He hated damp matches, but after having the glass of wine thrown at him by Beth he could just hope for that lucky strike.

God! He had been lucky, what if he had not walked back into that place today? Tomorrow would have been a disaster; his life would have changed completely.

He needed his tobacco and knew it was sitting on the wall outside the restaurant where everybody retreated to between courses and, where he had been standing last night, puffing on the pipe when his friend had called him in for the speeches.

The evening had gone well; he had been congratulated on the upcoming wedding and how happy everybody hoped the 'special pair' would be. Even his frosty mother-in-law seemed to have accepted that the marriage was happening, now.

But now it was different, he knew the truth and so today was going to be a day of getting tomorrow undone. He had sent a text to his best friends and asked them to meet him at the lake. He hadn't told them why, but the text that came back seemed to suggest that they had been expecting the text.

Wow! He thought, was he the only person who didn't know the truth? As Gary replayed the last two years of his life, he waited and tried one more time to light his pipe.

Success, he lit the tobacco; relishing the musky taste, he laid back onto the grass as a tear rolled down his temple and into his hair.

He thought back to that first meeting and how he had looked into the eyes of what he thought was a real beauty. Beth had looked fantastic standing there waiting in line to get inside to see the show. Gary was the manager for the band just about to go on stage, and he had taken a bit of time out to smoke.

There she was, so Gary approached her and asked if she wanted to come backstage, showing his pass to her and gently leading her through the studio doors. He showed her around and got one of the girls to get her a pass, too. She had smiled up at him, and that was it, he was hooked.

The two years had flown by, and he felt it had been enhanced with her beside him; he was now a manager of a major boy band. He was wealthy and successful. He had a penthouse where they were going to live when they came back from the honeymoon in Bali. Life had been good.

Now two years later and a wedding booked for tomorrow, he was still trying to get his head around the scene he had seen at the restaurant.

There was the woman he had thought of as his and only his; walking out of the restaurant with two of the band members he now managed. She was holding a bottle of wine and a glass filled that she sipped from as she giggled and flirted with the boys, still dressed as he had seen her last night.

Gary had asked her why? What was going on and Beth had laughed at him, telling him that he was nothing to her, just a perfect meal ticket to a life she thought she deserved. The marriage would ensure Beth could have anything she wanted.

He looked at her and asked her to explain; she looked at him and told Gary that she found him annoying. She wanted excitement. But she was willing to marry him, and would still be there tomorrow ready to take those vows. Gary moved towards her and with his fist clenched and with all he could muster he told her not to be there tomorrow.

Beth snarled at him as the two band members moved back into the shadows. She said that if he knew what was good for him, the wedding would go ahead. Gary shook his head and started to turn and walk away, that was when the wine was thrown.

So now sitting beside the lake he was waiting for Cara to appear. They had to cancel the wedding, before getting onto that plane to Bali that evening. He was so glad the internet was good sitting here, and American Express was always handy.

I have written a few short stories, but I hope my next book well be a success.

Author

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